Bearings which are solely mechanical necessarily involve mechanical contact between the components, leading to well-known problems associated with friction, leading to wear and energy losses. Repulsive magnetic forces have been utilized in magnetic bearings, for example, to provide a non-contact, low-friction bearing. However, repulsive forces in general are not as strong as attractive magnetic forces with all other parameters being the same. The use of attractive magnetic forces in a bearing assembly raises a concern that the bearing assembly may become unstable in the direction of the attractive forces. In particular, there is a concern that the two magnetic components will come into contact with one another due to an increased attractive force at a particular point. Despite this concern, the use of attractive magnetic forces in bearing assemblies remains of interest in the prevention of frictional wear and energy losses in mechanical assemblies.
Recent concerns regarding global warming, dependence on oil, and limited energy resources have increased interest in the development of more efficient alternative energies. Although environmentally friendly energies such as geothermal, solar, and wind power are proven sources of renewable energy, these technologies have not been widely accepted due to their relatively low energy output at the expense of high maintenance costs. Wind generator systems, for example, require many mechanical components that experience frictional wear from mechanical contact and necessitate frequent inspection and replacement of mechanical components. While many developments have been made in the art of renewable energies and wind generator systems in particular, there remains a need for further improvements.